Mooring device



March 19, 1963 yv. T. McEVOY 3,081,731

MOORING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1960 INVENTOR. WILLIAM T. M EVOY UnitedStates Patent 3,081,731 MQGRING DEVICE William Thomas McEvoy, 7 8Elizabeth St., Springdale, Conn. Filed Sept. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 58,693 2(Ilaims. (Cl. 114-230) This invention relates to mooring devices, and,more specifically, to such a device for attaching the stern of anoutboard motorboat to a floating dock and which prevents any lateralmovement of the boat.

In the past, small pleasure boats have been moored in parallelrelationship to a dock by numerous types of mooring arrangements.Parallel mooring utilizes an area, contiguous to a dock, that is atleast as long as the length of the boat. Moreover, if the boat has anoutboard motor pivotally attached to its stern for movement out of thewater when the boat is docked, the docking length must be extended toinclude approximately the length of the motor.

Parallel mooring has been generally satisfactory in the past. However,as the number of small pleasure boats has increased, usable docking areahas not increased proportionately and as a result, there has been ashortage of dockage space for mooring. The shortage of space isaggravated when it is realized. that most boat owners prefer to pull themotor out of the water when moored.

Further, parallel mooring provides no protection, and indeed leavesexposed to possible damage, the pivoted motor. As is well known to theboa-ting enthusiast, a pivoted outboard motor is subjected toconsiderable abuse by boats approaching and departing from the dock.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangementfor mooring a motorboat to a dock by attaching the stern of the boat tothe dock, whereby a minimum length of dockage is required.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mooring arrangementfor an outboard motorboat which permits the motor to be pivoted upwardlyfrom the water and inherently provides protection against damage to themotor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mooring arrangementwhich prevents lateral movement of the boat with respect to the dockwhereby boats may be moored closer together.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement formooring a boat to a floating dock which permits the boat to ride withthe dock as the tide rises or falls.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided amooring device coupling the stern end of an outboard motorboat to afloating dock which comprises a pair of rigid bars pivotally connectedbetween the dock and the stern of the boat; the pivotal move ment beingin the vertical plane only. The bars are positioned to flank the sidesof the motor and are of sufficient length to permit the motor to bepivoted outwardly relative to the stern of the boat without interferingwith the dock. The bars are provided with linking means to interlockwith cooperative members attached to the stern of the boat for retainingthe boat in a moored position with respect to the dock.

The above menioned and other features and objects of this invention andthe manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the inventionitself will be best understood by reference to the following descriptionof an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an outboard motorboat in a moored position withrespect to a floating dock; and,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the support bars and accompanyinglinking arrangements.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the stern 11 of a boat to is shown as beingretained by a pair of spaced apart bars Ill-14 to a floating dock, aportion of which is indicated at 12. The boat 10 is of the type whichcarries an outboard motor Whieh may be pivoted about the transom at thestern of the boat. As shown, the motor 15 is pivoted upwardly out of thewater. The support bars 13-14 are spaced apart a distance sufficient toaccommodate the width of the motor and are of a length which is at leastas long as the motor permitting the motor to be pivoted out of thewater. In the upwardly pivoted position, the bars flank either side ofthe motor.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 2, each bar is mounted for pivotalmovement in a vertical direction only about fixed supporting structurewhich includes a pair of L-angles 1616a and a nut and bolt assembly 18,The L-angles are fixed along one face thereof to the side of the dockand the other face thereof acts as a bracket for supporting the nut andbolt assembly 18. The bolt serves as a shaft for pivotally supportingthe bar 13.

Each support bar is made of rigid material, being of V-shape, toincrease the rigidity of the bar, and having a flared-out portion at oneend and a flared-in portion at the opposite end. The flared-out portion19 terminates in a circular loop through which the bolt passes. Theopposite end 20 is formed inwardly to accommodate in a fixed position aC-shaped shackle 21 having eye loop terminations.

A pair of eye bolts 22, are fixedly mounted in the transom of the boat.The eye bolts are fixed so that the eyes lie in a horizontal plane; thebolts being spaced apart the same distance as the spacing between thepairs of L- angles l616a. The shackles 21 secured to the bar 13 arevertically aligned with the terminating eye loops also lying in ahorizontal plane.

When a boat is to be moored to a dock the support bars 13-14 are broughtinto susbtantially the same plane as that of the eye bolts 22; the barsbeing pivotal about the bolt so as to be movable in the vertical planeonly. Locking bolts 24 are dropped through the eyes of the loops of theshackles 21 and the eye bolts 22 for securing the boat to the floatingdock 12.

In this position, the motor 15 may be pivoted upwardly out of the watersince the support bars are at least as long as the motor. The motorshaft is therefore protected on all sides against damage from a boatmoored adjacently or from an arriving or departing boat. Moreover, dueto the rigidity of the support arms the boat is prevented from anylateral excursion with respect to the dock thereby eliminating thepossibility of collision with adjacent boats. Furthermore, thisarrangement permits the boat and the dock to rise and fall with the tidewithout placing any undue strain on the boat, or, the mooringarrangement, or, without necessitating the provision of any elaboratemooring arrangement to compensate for the rise and fall in tide.

While the foregoing description sets forth the principles of theinvention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be understoodthat this description is made only by way of example and not as alimitation of the scope of the invention as set forth in the objectsthereof and in the accompanying claims. For eaxmp'le, if this mooringarrangement were to be utilized with a fixed clock, that is, mounted onpilings as opposed to a floating dock, the support bars could be oftelescoping or other extendable construction having shackle bolts at theone end thereof which are adapted for pivotal movement. As the tiderises and falls the telescoping arrangement of the support bars With thepivoting of the shackle bolts would permit the boat to rise and fallwith the tide.

What is claimed is: 1. A device for mooring an outboard motorboat to afloating dock, comprising a pair of rigid support bars adapted to beconnected at one end to said dock and at the other end to the stern ofthe boat, means pivotally coupled to said one end of each of said barsto permit arcuate movement thereof substantially in the verticaldirection only, said means being adapted to be rigidly secured to saiddock, said bars being of suificient length to permit the motor to bepivoted vertically about the stern of the boat Without interfering Withsaid dock, and said bars being adapted to be positioned to flank bothsides of said motor, linking means rigidly attached to the opposite endsof each of said bars, and means adapted to be rigidly attached to thestern of said boat on both sides of said motor for detachable engagementwith said linking means, whereby the boat may be released from themooring by detaching the means on opposite sides of said motor from saidlinking means, said support bars having a central V-shaped portion, aflared out portion having a horizontally disposed terminating circularloop at one end for permitting pivotal connection of said bars to saidsecuring means, and a flared in portion at the other end for retainingsaid linking means. 2. A device lfOi' mooring an outboard motorboat to afloating dock, comprising a pair of rigid support bars adapted to beconnected at one end to said dock and at the other end to the stern ofthe boat, means pivotally coupled to said one end of each of said barsto permit arcuate movement thereof substantially in the verticaldirection only, said means being adapted to be rigidly secured to saiddock, said bars being of suflicient length to permit the motor to bepivoted vertically about the stern of the boat Without interfering withsaid dock,

and said bars being adapted to be positioned to flank both sides of saidmotor,

linking means rigidly attached to the opposite ends of each of saidbars,

and means adapted to be rigidly attached to the stern of said boat onboth sides of said motor for detachable engagement with said linkingmeans, whereby the boat may be released from the moo-ring by detachingthe means on opposite sides of said motor from said linking means,

said means adapted to be rigidly attached to the stern of said boatcomprising a pair of eye bolts,

one being rigidly attached to tie stern on both sides of said motor,

said linking means comprising C-shaped shackle bolts having eye loopterminations retained in the opposite ends of each of said bars,

the eyes of said bolts and the loops of said shackles,

respectively, being vertically aligned during moora and means fordetachably engaging said eyes and loops, respectively, for preventingany lateral displacement of said boat with respect to said dock,

said suppont bars having a central V-shaped portion,

a flared out portion having a horizontally disposed terminating circularloop at one end for permitting pivotal connection of said bars to saidsecuring means,

and a flared in portion at the other end for retaining said shackles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,456,839 Princell Dec. 21, 1948 2,558,174 Flink June 26, 1951 2,569,783Smith Oct. 2, 1 2,679, 18 Herbent et al. June 1, 1954 2,920,597 DickJan. 12, 1960 2,930,339 Trnka Mar. 29, 1960 2,938,492 Kulick May 31,1960

1. A DEVICE FOR MOORING AN OUTBOARD MOTORBOAT TO A FLOATING DOCK,COMPRISING A PAIR OF RIGID SUPPORT BARS ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED AT ONEEND TO SAID DOCK AND AT THE OTHER END TO THE STERN OF THE BOAT, MEANSPIVOTALLY COUPLED TO SAID ONE END OF EACH OF SAID BARS TO PERMIT ARCUATEMOVEMENT THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE VERTICAL DIRECTION ONLY, SAIDMEANS BEING ADAPTED TO BE RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID DOCK, SAID BARS BEINGOF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO PERMIT THE MOTOR TO BE PIVOTED VERTICALLY ABOUTTHE STERN OF THE BOAT WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH SAID DOCK, AND SAID BARSBEING ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED TO FLANK BOTH SIDES OF SAID MOTOR,LINKING MEANS RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF EACH OF SAIDBARS, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO BE RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE STERN OF SAID BOATON BOTH SIDES OF SAID MOTOR FOR DETACHABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LINKINGMEANS, WHEREBY THE BOAT MAY BE RELEASED FROM THE MOORING BY DETACHINGTHE MEANS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID MOTOR FROM SAID LINKING MEANS, SAIDSUPPORT BARS HAVING A CENTRAL V-SHAPED PORTION, A FLARED OUT PORTIONHAVING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TERMINATING CIRCULAR LOOP AT ONE END FORPERMITTING PIVOTAL CONNECTION OF SAID BARS TO SAID SECURING MEANS, AND AFLARED IN PORTION AT THE OTHER END FOR RETAINING SAID LINKING MEANS.